Travel Galapagos Islands & Ecuador

Sights & activities Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Posted September 21st, 2008 by Bob the Sea Lion

The modern and easy to digest Interpretation

Center (%252 0358, ext 102) on the north side of

the bay explains the history and significance

of the Galápagos better than anywhere else

in the islands or the country. Exhibits deal

with the biology, geology and human history

of the islands; definitely deserves a visit even

if you’ve already been inundated with facts

from boat guides. From the center there are

various well-marked trails that wind around

the cactus- and scrub-covered Cerro de las

Tijeretas (Frigatebird Hill). One trail leads

over the hill to the small Las Tijeretas bay,

which has excellent snorkeling. Directly in

front of the Interpretation Center is Playa

Mann, a small beach popular with townies

on the weekends.

Another trail leads west toward the narrow

beach of Playa Cabo de Horno, nicknamed

‘Playa del Amor’ (Beach of Love) because

the sheltering little mangrove trees are favorite

make-out spots. From this beach you

can often see surfers ripping up the waves

peeling off Punta Carola, the nearby point.

Surfing here is world-class and there are

three other breaks nearby.

From beside the airport a road leads several

kilometers (about half-an-hour’s walk)

to La Lobería, a rocky beach with a lazy sea

lion colony. There are lots of land iguanas

along the trail leading past the beach. Bring

water and protection from the sun. Taxis

charge about $3 to take you out here and

you can walk back (or pay an extra $4 for

the driver to wait).

There are several good spots for diving

nearby. Eagle rays, sea turtles, sea lions and

hammerheads and white-tip sharks can be

found at Kicker Rock. Big schools of jacks,

eagle rays, stingrays, and seahorses are seen

around Stephanie’s Rock. Roca Ballena is a

cave at about 23m to 24m down with corals,

parrotfish, and rays. There are also several

wreck dives around including the Caragua,

a 100m-long cargo ship near the Jessica oil

spill. Several companies in town offer diving

(see below ).